Edgar Allan Poe was and still is a major figure in American and international literature. He is a versatile writer who is widely acknowledged for his work as a literary critic, and also for his short stories and poems, both of which led him to become a household name. His writing focused on the gothic genre, because of its popularity during his lifetime. He was born on January 19, 1809 in Boston to his parents, both of whom were traveling actors. He had two siblings. A few years after his birth, both of his parents perished. This led to him becoming the foster child of a prosperous tobacco merchant and his wife. He had to relocate to Richmond, Virginia in order to live with his new family. Through all of this, Poe always dreamed of one day becoming a writer. …show more content…
Although he excelled in his studies, he didn’t receive sufficient funds to compensate for them, which led to increasing debt. His poverty led him to return to his home, where he’d be received by the fact that his fiancé had left him for another man and a crumbling relationship with his foster family. However, he stayed in town living with his family for months until he fled to finally chase his dream of becoming a poet. At the age of eighteen, he published his first book, multiple collections of poems, and he also began to attend the United States Military Academy. Eventually, he become an editor for the Southern Literary Messenger. Because of his work on it, he gained a reputation as an author and as a literary critic. However, because he was not paid enough, he relocated to New York City and wrote the only novel he’d ever write. During this time, he persevered through many conflicts, including poverty, losing family members, and his wife’s health slowly deteriorating. He himself also struggled with illnesses such as depression and